Santa's Claws
Colchester Brewery in Colchester, Essex, England 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Winter|
Score
6.48
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Old ale with a dark and sinister malty sweetness.
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6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
500ml bottle [courtesy of Grumbo - cheers Graham!]. Quasi black colour with average to huge, frothy, moderately lasting, minimally lacing, dark beige head. Roasty and chocolately, almost a bit ashy, malty aroma, notes of dark chocolate, coffee, a touch of roasted nuts. Taste is bitter roasty, dark malty, slightly chocolately malty, hints of coffee, liquorice, some hop bitterness as well; very subtle residual sweetness. Minimally creamy, watery texture, velvety palate, medium, mildly prickly carbonation. Decent malty aspects, relatively bitter - very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jun 2022
at 20:08
6.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
500ml bottle bought at Hop Beer Shop. Shared with Finn on a train from Colchester to Liverpool Street. A beige, bubbly head over a jet black body with a deep ruby shade. Dotted spots on the glass. Nicely roasted dark chocolate malts on the nose. Dark malty flavoured taste profile of chocolate, nuts, and earth. Smoothly roasted ending. Likable Yuletide feel. (Train session, 23.11.2021).
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Dec 2021
at 10:27
6.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Delt med Rune på tog fra Colchester til London. Svart. Filmskum med litt farge. Forsiktig aroma av røstet malt. Smaken lakris & sjokolade. Lett bitter avslutning.
Tried
on 23 Nov 2021
at 20:57
7/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
From cask at the Purple Dog winter beers festival, Colchester. Pours very dark brown with no head. Aroma of malt, chocolate, light spice, dark fruits and is ever so slightly smoky. Medium plus sweetness, moderate roasted bitterness. Medium body, slight oily and watery texture, minimal carbonation. Took a few moments to appreciate this one, but it's actually a pretty decent dark old ale.
Tried
from Cask
on 08 Dec 2017
at 06:41
6.3/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Cask (gravity) @ 31th Pigs Ear Beer and Cider Festival 2014, at The Round Chapel in Hackney, London, England [ As Colchester Santa’s Claws ].Clear medium to dark red brown color with a small to average, frothy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, caramel, dark malt, fruity. Flavor is moderate to light light heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, fruity, sweet malt, malt bitter, toasted, roasted notes. Body is medium, texture is oily to watery, carbonation is soft to flat. [20141202]
Tried
from Cask
on 07 May 2016
at 13:53
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
On tap at the Golden Eagle, Lincoln. Almost black colour with a cream coloured head. Roasted malt, stewed fruit and liquorice aroma. Bitter taste.
Tried
from Draft
on 18 Dec 2015
at 12:15
6.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at Pigs Ear ’14, day 1, 02/12/14. Mahogany brown with moderate beige spotting and edgework. Nose is dark toffee, nutty tones, light spice, biscuit, dark fruits. Taste comprises rich fruits, winter cheer, aniseed, spice, light charr, dark toffee. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, semi drying close. Ok.
Tried
from Cask
on 09 Jan 2015
at 15:58
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Blue Moon, Cambridge. Reddish brown, translucent. Not all that much head. Smell is woody, slightly smoky, with malt, potato, watercress and coffee. Taste is surprisingly sweet with a hoppy herby bitterness kicking in halfway through. Gritty bittersweet aftertaste. Original and very good but short of brilliant.
Tried
from Cask
on 12 Dec 2014
at 14:47
6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5
2nd December 2014
Pigs Ear. Cask. Clear deep amber - red beer, few pale tan bubbles. Palate is smooth with light fine carbonation. Mellow dark malts, light tang. Touch of dark fruits and a trace of floralness. Light dry finish. Just another porter.
Pigs Ear. Cask. Clear deep amber - red beer, few pale tan bubbles. Palate is smooth with light fine carbonation. Mellow dark malts, light tang. Touch of dark fruits and a trace of floralness. Light dry finish. Just another porter.
Tried
from Cask
on 05 Dec 2014
at 00:30